Records Disposal
Urgent Record Disposal
If you have urgent records that need to be destroyed outside the confidential destruction process, contact the Records Officer. All record disposal requires either a Transfer to Archives form or Confidential Disposal Form and must be approved by the Records Officer prior to disposal.
Record Schedules are valid for 10 years. State agencies are statutorily required to provide record schedules. These are maintained by the Records Office and made available to employees to manage records. Records may be disposed of ONLY when the approved record schedule retention period has passed. Use the Records Schedule (.xlsx) below to search for a department record to identify the retention period and disposal method. The schedule lists the schedule number, record description, and method for disposal. All records must be recorded on a Confidential Disposal form or Transfer to Archives form and submitted to the Records Officer prior to disposal. Any record with the disposal method identified as "Transfer to Archives" cannot be destroyed.
Record Schedule Example
| Schedule # | Title | Records Description | Retention Period | Event | Disposal Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADMIN453 | Training Course Materials | Materials prepared and used by staff to provide routine training targeted to internal and external audiences. Records may include, but not limited to, presentations, handouts and other materials | EVT+3 Months | Date materials are superseded or obsolete | Destroy |
| ADMIN305 | Public Record Requests and Responses | Records relating to requests for public records as specified under the provisions of Wis. Stat. §§ 19.35-19.37 and the Federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Includes original request, notice of scope changes to the request, billing, collection of fees, acknowledgement of receipt of request, follow-up letters and transmittal memorandums. | EVT+3 Years | Date response is provided or request is abandoned or withdrawn. | Destroy Confidentially |
Confidential Destruction Process
The Records Officer will coordinate a bi-annual confidential record destruction for the campus. Once you receive the communication, complete the Confidential Disposal Process. Records cannot be disposed of without this process.
1Complete a Confidential Disposal Form
For both electronic (saved computer files) and paper records, fill out a CDF and list the records ready for disposal. Your department's Inventory Management Worksheet (.xlsx) and the Records Schedule (.xlsx) will help you complete this task.
Complete Confidential Disposal Form (.doc)
Records that may be destroyed include:
- Convenience copies no longer needed by the department
- Official records (paper, email, electronic) past their retention period date
- Records without pending record requests, audits or lawsuits that would require retention
- The Record Schedule Disposal Method is "Destroy Confidentially"
2Obtain Department Approval
Obtain approval signature from your department supervision and email the CDF form back to the UW-Green Bay Records Officer.
Once disposition has been confirmed, you will be sent a calendar appointment as a placeholder with directions to bring where to bring your records.
3Prepare Records for Disposal
You may delete electronic records at this time. For paper records, you don't need to remove staples or paper clips before placing records in boxes. DO NOT purchase new boxes for this process; they will be destroyed. Binders or hanging folders are not allowed and should be removed before placing records in the disposal box.
Ask an Expert
If you have any questions about the records disposal process, Sandi Maine-Delepierre, Records Officer, is here to help.